The new parent’s guide to summer-proofing your home

The heat can bring a lot of stress when it comes to babies in the house. Here, 9Mums shares eight secrets to help navigate this summer with ease.

Screen time

To start, check your fly screens and screen doors to make sure there are no holes or gaps. Don't have them? It might be time to invest in lockable versions, so you can enjoy the breeze if there is one, but sleep soundly knowing your family is safe.

Fresh air

Did you know that the air in the average home can be up to five times more polluted than the air outside? An especially worrying statistic when bringing a new baby home.

Time to buy an air purifier. The Dyson Pure Cool™ purifying fan is a fan and purifier in one, and completely bladeless — making it safer for little fingers. It removes 99.95 per cent of fine particles such as allergens and pollutants[1] — all while the fan cools you and your family.

This buy is ideal for babies who sleep more easily when cooled by a fan. And now you'll have total peace of mind knowing your fan is working double-time to remove pollutants.

Throwing shade

Curtains will not only help keep your house cool, but they're excellent for blocking out light in the kid's rooms.

Trust us, this will come in handy for nap time, especially during changes like daylight savings. Look for blackout curtains — they come in a variety of colours and designs — and will cut most light from windows, while also reducing noise and preventing furniture from fading.

Having them properly installed is essential if children can reach (read: yank) the fabric at the bottom. Or opt for a length that only covers the window and not have them reach the ground.

Lighten up

If you have loads of down-lights, install a dimmer. You'll hardly need them through the bright summer days.

It's also worth adding a sweet lamp to your little one's room. It will avoid you having to turn on the bright overhead light, better for their wind-down time on hot nights.

Timer technology

Look into apps that help you add timers to your electrics, gas and water so you can limit usage you don't need over summer months. Now's the time to check what hours you're allowed to use water outside too.

Lighter linens

Make sure the sheets you use in your baby's cot are 100 per cent cotton or natural fibres. Breathable fabrics will help keep your baby cool and comfortable.

Sweat-free seating

New mums will find themselves doing a lot of sitting and feeding when babies are small. Cue: ultra-comfortable furniture.

Leather coverings will keep you and the baby cooler in summer and are easy to wipe down if (when) spills happen.

Pet doors

They're stealthy at letting cool air out, and as babies start to crawl, pet doors also become a danger — so it's worth looking at alternatives for your furry friends.

(Nine)

The Dyson Pure Cool purifying fan uses sensors to detect and trap particles and allergens, and projects purified air around the whole room using Air Multiplier technology. To discover more, click here.